The overall objective of this proposal is to gain insight into the basic structural features of proteins which have been implicated in human allergy. The model system chosen here is ragweed pollen and more specifically, antigen E, the major offending allergen. This molecule will be probed in order to establish its primary and secondary amino acid structure, and attempts will be made to dissect out those peptides which contain the allergenic activity as exemplified by B cell reactivity, the carrier determinants exemplified by T cell reactivity, and non reactive peptides which are potentially immunotherapeutic. (RB)